Mascara dispensing device with resilient wiper means



July 20, 1965 P. M. LEDERBERG ETAL 3,195,545

MASCARA DISPENSING DEVICE WITH RESILIENT WIPE-R MEANS Filed July 25, 1960 Tlgl.

INVENTORS P /u. /P M. A EDERBERG United States Patent 3,195,545 MASCARA DISPENSING DEVIQE WiTH RESILIENT WTEPER MEANS Philip M. Lederberg, Cove Neck Road, Oyster Bay, N.Y.;

Victor Silson, 24 W. 55th St, New York, N.Y.; and

Ira Jess, 3309 Waterbury Drive, Wantagh, N.Y.

Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,201

3 Claims. (Cl. 132-79) The present invention relates to a mascara dispensing device.

A marcara dispensing device of the type contemplated herein consists essentially of a reservoir body for mascara in liquid condition, a cap for the reservoir body forming a container therewith, and an applicator mounted on said cap to form a unit therewith and extending into the mascara in said body.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mascara dispensing device of the general type described, which has a number of parts designed for easy assembly as a unit independently of the reservoir body and for attachment as such to the reservoir body to form a closure therefor affording an elfective seal for the body.

Various other objects of the invention are apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective of the mascara dispensing device embodying the present invention and shown in closed condition;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cap unit adapted to be sealably and detachably secured to the reservoir body;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the reservoir body unit;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal fragmentary longitudinal section though the mascara dispensing device in closed conditio-n;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a stopper for a refill unit; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective of a cap for the refill unit.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, the mascara dispensing device consists essentially of a reservoir body unit 10 (FIG. 3) comprising a reservoir body 11 in the form of an elongated tubular vessel open at one end and adapted to contain mascara A (FIG. 4) therein in the usual form of a viscous liquid, and a cap unit 12 (FIG. 2) for said body unit comprising a cap 13. The reservoir body 11 and cap 13 may be of metal which will not be attacked by the mascara, as for example aluminum, and may have any suitable outside finish.

Closing the mouth of the reservoir body 11 is a closure 14 permanently fitted into said body, as for example, by press-fitting to form therewith the body unit 10. This closure 14 comprises an insert 15 in the body 11, made of suitable inert material, such as aluminum, and having an intermediate cylindrical bushing section 16 retained in the mouth of the reservoir body with a close press-fit, tubular extension 17 of reduced diameter on the inner end of said bushing section extending into said body, and peripherally spaced from the wall of said body, and an externally threaded tubular extension 18 also of reduced diameter on the outer end of said bushing section projecting from the open end of the body. This closure 14 also includes a washer 19 of resilient material, such as rubber, a sealing member 20 shown in the form of a cup, desirably made of an inert plastic material, which is not attacked by the mascara and which is flexible, such as polyolefins, as for example, polyethylene. This cup 2% is fitted over the washer 19 and over the inner insert extension 17, and is permanently retained in the inside of the reservoir body 11, desirably with a press-fit. To assure the permanent retention of the cup 2% on the inner insert extension 1'7, the cup embraces said insert extension with a press-fit, and this insert extension desirably has a plurality of anchoring rings 21 integrally formed on its periphery and embedding and digging into the peripheral wall of the cup. The plastic material of the cup 259 is yieldable enough to permit said cup, although of smooth internal contour before assembly, to be pressed over the anchoring rings 21 of the inner insert extension 17 and to hold onto said extension With a firm permanent grip after assembly.

The cup 26 has an end wall 22 with an opening 23 to allow a mascara applicator rod 24 mounted on the cap 13 and forming part of the cap unit 12 to pass freely therethrough with slight clearance and the washer 19 has a central hole 25 of diameter slightly smaller than that of the applicator rod to embrace said rod with a sealingtit and to act as a Wiper to remove excess mascara from said rod as it is withdrawn from the reservoir body 11.

The body insert 15 has a center bore 26 along its full length to permit the applicator rod 24 to pass freely therethrough with clearance.

The parts 15, 19 and 20 are permanently congregated to produce the body closure 14 in the form of a selfcontained unit before being afiixed to the reservoir body 11, and this closure in this form is then forced into the open end of the body for fix retention therein. It should be noted that because of the self-containing nature of the closure 14, the reservoir body 11 requires no lining, collar or similar expedient therein for retaining the parts of said closure together and in proper place in the body.

The cup 213, besides retaining the washer 1% in position as part of the closure unit 14, also serves as a seal to prevent the mascara liquid from leaking past the outside of this cup along the walls of the reservoir body 11 and along the inside of the cup to the bushing section 16 of the body insert. The polyethylene from which the cup 20 is made is a tough flexible material, and will yield into conforming contact with the surfaces against which it is pressed to form liquid-tight sealed junctures therewith.

The cap unit 12 includes the applicator rod 24 and closes and seals the end of the reservoir body unit 10 when applied thereto. For that purpose, there is permanently retained in the open end of the cap 13, as for example by press-fit, an insert 3% in the form of a cup, made of suitable inert material, such as aluminum, and having a knurled peripheral section 31 to assure a firm grip thereof by the embracing peripheral Wall of the cap. This cap insert 39 is internally threaded to permit it to be removably screwed onto the externally threaded projecting extension 13 of the body insert 15, when the cap unit 12 is applied to the reservoir body unit 10. To seal the end of the bore 26 of the body insert 15 when the cap insert is screwed into place onto said body insert, there is provided a washer 32 made of suitable resilient sealing material, such as rubber, and permanently retained in a recess 33 between the end wall 34 of the cap insert and the end of the internally threaded portion of said cap insert. This washer 32 bears against the end of the body insert 15 when the cap insert 30 is screwed onto said body insert and thereby effectively seals the end of the bore 26 of said body insert against the escape of mascara liquid from said bore to the threaded juncture between the body insert and the cap insert.

The applicator rod 24 is desirably made of metal, such as aluminum and is permanently affixed to the end wall 34 or" the cap insert 30. For securing the applicator rod 24 to the end wall 34 of the cap insert 31), said rod has an end section 35 of reduced diameter desirably press-fitted into a hole in said end wall and shouldered against said end wall. The washer 32 has a center hole 36 to permit the applicator rod 24 to pass therethrough and this hole is smaller in diameter than the applicator rod to effect a tight seal around said red by which leakage through the end wall 34 of the cap insert 39 is prevented.

The applicator rod 24, when'the cap unit 12 is fully applied extends inside the reservoir body ll close to the end wall thereof and is provided with an inner end section 57 having a plurality of circumferential grooves which are shown as helical V threads, but which maybe square or when the cap unit 12 is unscrewed from the reservoir,

body unit 1% but while. said cap unit isin close proximity thereto, so that the free end of the applicator rod can pick up mascara liquid along the side of the'reservoir body ll]; even when the supply of this liquid is low. Tho flexibility or the plastic cup Ztl'perrnits this tilting of the applicator rod 24, even if the'hole 23 in the end wall 22 of the cup should not afford enough-clearance to permit this action without distortion of the cup."

In operation, after the cap unit 12 is unscrewed from the reservoir body unit llti, the cap unit is pulled away vessel open at one end and adapted to contain a mascara be discarded replaced by a refill, after the refill cap liquid, a body insert ofrigid material comprising a bushing section in said reservoir body peripherally contacting the peripheral wall of said reservoir body with a close conforming press-fit, a tubiular extension at the outer end of said bushing section peripherally threaded for removable attachment of a cap unit thereto, and a tubular extension at the inner end of the bushing section of reduced "diameter forming an annular space between the latter tubular extension and the inner peripheryof said reservoir body in the region of the latter tubular extension, a

washer of resilient material seated against the extreme infrorn the body unit causing the applicator rod 24 to be withdrawn axially from the body unit. As this applicator rod 24 moves through the washer 19 all the mascara on the exterior surface of said rod will be Wipedoff except that which is contained in the grooves of the rod section 37. The applicator rod 24 may be applied to the eye- '30 v mit an applicator rod to pass therethrough with a slide fit, one of'said'holes being small enough to serve as a wiper lashes so that they enter the grooves of the applicator rod section 3''] and pick up the mascara therein.

When it'is desired to place the cap unit 12 back on to the reservoir body unit Ed, the applicator rod 24 isinserte'd through the closure 14 of said body unit, and the cap insert is screwed back onto'the threaded extension 1% of the body insert 15. The clearance afiorded by the bore 26 in the body insert 15 around the applicator rod 24 serves not only to permit the applicator rod to be titled for the purpose described,and the washer 19 to be deformed into more effective sealing contact with the. applicator rod, but also serves to collect any foreign matter which has been wiped oil the applicator rod by said washer upon its reentry. into the reservoir body. The location of the threads on the body insert 15 externally of i the clearance space around the applicator rod 24 aiforded by the insert bore 26 prevents the collected foreign matter in said clearance from finding its way tothe threads.

The construction of the reservoir body unit 10 can be used as part of a refill unit when such is required. For

refill purposes, the reservoir body unit l'il is sold inconmaterial, such as rubber, and comprising a head 41 and a junction' with a stopper 48 (FIG. 5) made of resilient stem 42. Housing the head 41 of this stopper 4% is a reenough so that it extends at least partway into the hole of the washer 19 and has a diameter larger that the diameter of said hole, so that when the stopperis applied a When the as described, it sealably closes said hole. stopper is in thatposition, the refill'cap 43 can be screwed over the threaded insert extension 18 of the body insert 15 to compress the head, 41 of the stopper and thereby to effectively close and seal the refill unit. The reservoir body unit H? with a fresh supply of mascara liquid, closed and sealed with the stopper {it and cap 43as described,

can be stored, transported and sold as a unit. When the mascara liquid of the dispensing device has bcen consumcd, the reservoir body unit it]? with its closure 14 may.

her end of the latter tubular extension, and a cup of fiexile material fitted over the washer and the latter" tubular extension and snugly embracing peripherally'both said washer and the latter tubular extension, said cup having a peripheral wall extending into said annular space and having a close conforming peripheral sealing fit with the inner peripheral wall of said reservoir body, said washer and the end wall of said cup having'aligned holes to perto remove excess mascara from the applicator rod as it is withdrawn fromthe reservoir body.

p 2. A refill unit for a mascara dispensing device comprising areservoir body unit having a reservoirbody in the form of a tubular vessel open at one endand adapted to contain a mascara liquid," 2. body insert of rigid material comprising a bushing section in said body peripherally contacting the peripheral wall of said reservoir body with a close conformingpress-fit, a tubular extension at the outer end of said tbushing section peripherally threaded for removable attachment of a cap unit thereto, and a tubular'extension' at the, inner end of the bushing section of reduced diameter, forming an annular space between the latter tubular extension and the inner periphery 'of said reservoir b ody in the region of the latter tubular extension, 'a washer of resilient material seated against the extreme inner end of the latter tubular extension, and a cup of flexible material fitted over the washer and the "latter tubular extension and snugly embracing peripherally both said washer and the latter tubular extension, said cup having a peripheral wall extending into said annular space and havingja close conforming peripheral sealing fit with the inner peripheral wall of said reservoir body,

said washer and the end wall of said cup having aligned 'of said reservoir body unit, said closing and sealing means being removable to permit the attachment of the reservoir body unit to the cap unit as a refill comprising a stopper of resilient material having a head seated against the outer end of the tubular extension on the outer end of said body insert, a stem extending from said head through said body insert and extending into the hole in said washer 'with a liquid-tight fit, and a refillcap fitted over the head of said stopper and over the'latter tubular extension. 3. A mascara dispensing device comprising a reservoir body unithaving a reservoir body-in the form of a tu- 'bular vessel open at one end and adapted to contain a mascara liquid, 21 body insert of rigid material comprising a bushing section in said body peripherally contacting the peripheral Wall of said reservoir body with a close conforming press-fit, a tubular extension at the outer end of said bushing section peripherally threaded for removable attachment of a cap unit thereto, and a tubular extension at the inner end of the bushing section of reduced diameter forming an annular space between the latter tubular extension and the inner periphery of said body in the region of the latter tubular extension, a Washer of resilient material seated against the extreme inner end of the latter tubular extension, and. a cup of flexible material fitted over the washer and the latter tubular extension and snugly embracing peripherally both said Washer and the latter tubular extension, said cup having a peripheral Wall extending into said annular space and having a close conforming peripheral sealing fit with the inner peripheral wall of said reservoir body, said Washer and the end Wall of said cap having aligned holes to permit an applicator rod to pass therethrough with a slide fit, one or" said holes being small enough to serve as a wiper to remove excess mascara from the applicator red as it is Withdrawn from the reservoir body, and a cap unit includin a cap, an applicator rod secured to said cap and means for removably and sealably securing said cap to said tubular extension at UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,829 1/59 Aversa 13288.7 X

2,902,641 9/59 Ban 132-79 2,990,834 7/61 Amen 13285 3,071,143 1/63 Bau 132-88] 3,073,320 1/63 Seaver 13279 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,212,572 10/59 France.

OTHER REFERENCES German application, W 16,159 Ill/33C, March 1955.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, LOUIS I. DEMBO, JORDAN FRANKLEN Examiners. 

1. A RESERVOIR BODY UNIT FOR A MASCARA DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A RESERVOIR BODY IN THE FORM OF A TUBULAR VESSEL OPEN AT ONE END AND ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A MASCARA LIQUID, A BODY INSERT OF RIGID MATERIAL COMPRISING A BUSHING SECTION IN SAID RESERVOIR BODY PERIPHERALLY CONTACING THE PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID RESERVOIR BODY WITH A CLOSE CONFORMTING PRESS-FIT, A TUBULAR EXTENSION AT THE OUTER END OF SAID BUSHING SECTION PERIPHERALLY THREADED FOR REMOVABLE ATTACHMENT OF A CAP UNIT THERETO, AND A TUBULAR EXTENSION AT THE INNER END OF THE BUSHING SECTION OF REDUCED DIAMETER FORMING AN ANNULAR SPACED BETWEENTHE LATTER TUBULAR EXTENSION AND THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID RESERVOIR BODY IN THE REGION OF THE LATTER TUBULAR EXTENSION, A WASHER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL SEATED AGAINST THE EXTREME INNER END OF THE LATTER TUBULAR EXTENSION, AND A CUP OF FLEXBLE MATERIAL FITTED OVER THE WASHER AND THE LATTER TUBULAR 